Coffee!

For TIP TUESDAY, I thought I'd talk about good 'ol COFFEE!!

I am a coffee fan.  I started drinking coffee in the year 2000.....I got my first assignment in Portland, OR, as a Senior Sales Manager with JCP.  I was gung-ho and worked like crazy, and found that one of the only ways to get through the long hours, nights and weekends was CAFFEINE!!  I started with Diet Coke, but slowly that turned to coffee.  All my co-workers would go to get coffee on their breaks, and you can't very well buy a pop there, so that's when I discovered the joys of specialty coffee drinks and I've never looked back!!  :-)  I was even offered a Management position with Starbucks, and HELLO, all the coffee you could ever want!!  I didn't end up taking the position, but just the thought of all those drinks, alone, kept my interest!!  :-)

So, if you're a coffee fan, (or even if you're not!!), here's some INFO and TIPS I thought you might enjoy and find useful:

1.

First off, do you know how often you buy your coffee and/or coffee beverage at an Espresso Stand, Starbucks, Cafe, etc??  And, if you know how often you buy it, do you know how much money you're spending??  The average price of an Espresso-based Specialty drink, in the U.S. is $2.45.  (And for many of you, it's A LOT more!!)  Are you grabbing a coffee drink every day?  Based on a 5-day week, if you are buying a coffee drink every day, you are spending, on average:

$12.25/week

$49.00/month

$637.00/year!!!!!!

And, that's based on the National Average of $2.45, and as I said, many of us are spending more than that on one drink!!  And, if you add up the scone or the bagel you might order with it.....WHEW!!!!

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm right there with the best of them....I LOVE getting my Specialty Coffee drink and a pastry every now and then!!  I would NEVER tell you not to!!!!  But, I also make my own coffee at home almost everyday.  I buy the yummy flavored creamer that I like and I take it in a 'to-go' cup if I'm on the run.  That way, I'm not tempted to stop!!

Just think of the money you could save if you cut out 2 trips to the Coffee Shop a Week???  That's a savings of $255.00 a year!!  Just think what you could do with that money!!!

So, see what happens if you try to cut a few trips out and make your own coffee at home!!   Or, maybe try investing in a great Cappucino maker, or buy Specialty coffees online or at Specialty stores to make at home, buy your most favorite flavor of cream and stock up on it, or buy Blended ice mixes at Costco if you're a Frapuccino fan!  And lastly, what I do and what many of my family members do:  Ask for GIFT CARDS to your favorite Coffee Shop!!  If you have a birthday, Anniversary, Mother's Day, etc, coming up----What a great gift to ask for!!

2.

I might get some turned up noses for this one, and if this isn't your thing----I understand.  It's not many people's thing, but it's mine!!!

I DRINK 'DAY OLD COFFEE'!!  There!!!  I said it!!!

If I have coffee leftover in the pot, I make it a point to save it and heat it up in the microwave the next day.  I will admit, it's not as good as a fresh-brewed pot, but it is definitely passable and with a little cream---you can hardly tell the difference!!  I don't go multiple days using old coffee, though, just one!!

And, also, you can reuse your grounds.......Again, I completely understand if that doesn't sound appetizing to you!!  But sometimes I will pop the used grounds in the fridge and reuse them the next day with one more scoop of fresh coffee.  In my opinion, you can't even tell the difference!!!

3.

On the subject of coffee grounds, I did some research and found some really AWESOME ways to re-use your coffee grounds---(And no, not for making another pot of coffee!!)  I thought they were really interesting, so I'll share them with you!

---Use old coffee grounds to keep ants, snails and slugs away. Spread used coffee grounds on anthills or any place where ants might be entering your house. Toss a handful of coffee grounds in your yard and GARDEN to keep slugs and snails away from your plants.  (I'm THERE on this one!!)

---Old coffee grounds have been found by farmers to produce some of the biggest melons, tomatoes and carrots. Coffee grounds add minerals, vitamins, and nitrogen to the soil so that the vegetables are stockier and less prone to insect infestation.

---Sometimes its hard to keep Cats from tromping through your garden or using your yard as a bathroom. Spread around a few orange peels and a handful of coffee grounds to solve that problem.

---Use the grounds to "top off" the soil in houseplant pots, or mix it with potting soild before planting.  Most plants love coffee, and will appreciate the last of your cup of coffee as well!  (No cream or sugar, though!)

---Children can make Treasure Stones!  Here's the LINK to this fun craft!

---Spread them in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and dry them thoroughly.  Fill old nylons with the dry grounds and tie off the ends.  Hang in closets to absorb odors.  Works in the refrigerator as well!

Hope you enjoyed some of these tips, and if you have others, I'd LOVE to hear them!!!